The Militia Man

Chapter Two

Her thinly veiled contempt made her a convincing man. She had a very independent personality, she had to. The world was a dark and dangerous place for someone like her. With her hair pinned under a boy’s wig, she walked into the warehouse with confidence and intention.

The man sitting behind the desk looked up.

“Good morning sir.” She grumbled.

“Morning to you. Papers?”

She handed over the papers and balled her fists by her side. She concentrated hard on the older gentleman, willing him to accept the forged documents. He didn’t seem to give her a second glance when he beckoned a young woman over.

“My name is Sergeant Darryl. Prudence will take care of your physical exam.” He waved his hand over his shoulder and went back to the paperwork in front of me.

The young woman looked up into the narrowed eyes of the woman the sergeant had called Prudence. After a quick glance at the back of the sergeant’s head, she turned on her heel and moved silently away. The young woman followed without a word.

Once the nurse had the young woman in one of the partitions that had been made, she looked over her shoulder and cornered the young woman.

“I am not sure what you hope to accomplish,” Prudence whispered harshly, “but I do not recommend this.”

The young woman blinked at Prudence dumbly. Prudence stuck her hip out and looked over her shoulder quickly.

“You may look and act the part of a tough incoming young man but you can’t fool me. It is dangerous for a woman out there. Even if you could make it without anyone noticing, you are going to have a hard time getting through the physical training, the close quarters with your squad, not to even mention COMBAT.” Prudence spit the last word out with such ferocity that the young woman jumped slightly.

“I…” the young woman had the decency to look ashamed, “I don’t have a choice.”

Prudence softened for a moment. She stared hard at the young woman, trying to riddle something out before nodding.

“Shrug off the heavy coat so I can take some measurements.”

The young woman obliged, with her eyes on the ground. While Prudence did her examination, a deep voice echoed from the front desk. The young woman was entranced by the voice and strained to hear more. Apparently she wasn’t the only one either. The giggling nurses made the young woman’s eyes roll.

A moment later, the young man walked past the partition and the young woman could see what caused the excitement. He was the perfect male. Of course she couldn’t let her thoughts be muddled by a man, not with so much at stake.

Prudence finished the paperwork and tossed her head back to the sergeant. The young woman shrugged the coat back on and followed without a word. Sergeant Darryl didn’t even look up at her while reviewing the forgery that Prudence had created.

“Hmm, well I suppose this all looks fine. You’re small but if you’ve volunteered, you have commitment. Right?” He looked up at the young woman with just his eyes.

“Yes, sir.” She grumbled.

His eyes flicked back down. He put the papers to the side and brought out a Bible. The young woman’s stomach churned at the thought of testifying falsely over the Bible.

“You ready?” His eyes were bored as they met the eyes of the woman.

“Yes, sir.” She grumbled.

———

When she walked out of the building, she couldn’t believe that she had done it. Her heart was light and fluttering as she celebrated her accomplishment. She was officially in the militia. Well, Vincent Bryan was in the military.

Thankfully I look just like him, she thought to herself.

She wandered across the street and walked past the vendors on the street. Apples, potatoes, fresh fish… Her stomach growled against her better wishes but she just smiled and continued to walk.

She didn’t have any money and wasn’t feeling low enough to take a handout. She followed the vendor carts down the street, watching the people rather than the market. Joy, anger, sadness, pride… so many things danced across the faces of these people. Another thing she would not afford herself… her face remained impassive, almost stern as she continued on her course.

She found her way to a park of some sort, children playing in the grass, women chatting amongst themselves. The young woman sat against the trunk of a tree and watched, her own sadness darkening in her chest. To look on the woman you would think she was an angry drunkard, cursing the joy around her.

She woke with a start. Someone had placed an apple in her lap. Her apparent hunger caused her energy to falter and she looked around to see completely new faces enjoying the afternoon.

She picked up the apple and inspected it thoroughly before devouring it like she had never eaten before. She was licking the juices off her fingers when she saw him. The man from earlier, smirking in her direction. She glared hard at him and he turned his head. He must have given her the apple. But why?

He had no reason to be nice to her, to have compassion for her. Certainly no one else had. If the world showed any sympathy for her at all, she wouldn’t be signing up to fight a war she didn’t believe in.

She wouldn’t be sitting alone in a park with a hungry belly and no bed to rest her head other than a communal oak tree. She wouldn’t be alone. At all.

Her eyes bruised for holding in the tears. Her head began to ache from the pondering so she gathered herself and fled before the man could pour the ocean blue of his eyes over her again.